New images and video of a prototype iPhone 12 Pro Max allegedly fell into the hands of frequent Apple leaker Jon Prosser. This allows him to reveal that Apple’s next handset will have thinner bezels — but the notch isn’t shrinking.
He also served up details Tuesday on the upcoming iPhone’s camera that add weight to numerous earlier leaks. That includes a higher video recording rate, a Lidar sensor and more.
Prosser runs Front Page Tech on YouTube, and is promising to put the video of the iPhone 12 Pro Max on his channel in the near future. (Update: It’s live — see below.)
In the past, he’s made some high-profile predictions that proved uncannily accurate. Overall, he achieves a 78% accuracy rate on AppleTrack.
No change in the notch
A post on Twitter shows that the screen cut-out — aka the notch — isn’t any smaller. This holds not just the front-facing camera but also the 3D scanner for Face ID. “True Depth array same size,” says Prosser. But the iPhone 12 Pro Max’s mammoth 6.7-inch display makes the notch appear smaller.
Here’s a screenshot from the iPhone 12 Pro Max video we have.
Phone is in a PVT “stealth” case. But here’s you best look at the notch.
Bezels are smaller, display is a tad larger — making the notch “appear” a little smaller.
Screenshot is brightened to show bezels. pic.twitter.com/WWZw3XdzMk
— Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser) August 25, 2020
The leaker also reports that “Face ID works from wider angles. Even flat on a table.”
Get ready to record 4K video at 240 fps
Prosser also posted on Twitter a pair of screenshots supposedly taken from the iPhone 12 prototype. One of these is apparently of camera settings during the testing process. A highlight is a toggle to turn on recording slow-motion 4K video at either 240 frames per second or 120 fps.
Camera and display settings for current PVT model of 6.7” iPhone 12 Pro Max
Want video too? pic.twitter.com/fnJk2LELgv
— Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser) August 25, 2020
This fits with an unconfirmed report from June that the top-end iPhone 12 Pro will make the jump up from 240 fps in 1080p.
Lidar should really improve augmented reality
A persistent rumor for many months is that the iPhone 12 will include a lidar 3D scanner. This rumor got a significant boost when the 2020 iPad Pro debuted with this feature.
And Prosser’s leak includes a toggle in the Camera settings to “Enable LiDAR.”
This type of scanner runs an invisible laser over the area in front of the iPhone, creating a 3D map that can be used to accurately place virtual objects in augmented-reality apps. Apple is rumored to include an AR viewer in iOS 14.
iPhone 12 will/won’t have 120 Hz display
Apple is reportedly still exploring putting a 120 Hz display in the iPhone 12, up from a 60 Hz rate in current models.
The prototype Prosser has video of includes a toggle to Enable High Refresh Rate, as well as a separate one for Adaptive Refresh Rate. This can “alter the refresh rate from 120 hz to 60 hz in accordance to the content displayed on-screen.”
This might indicate that some but not all iPhone 12 versions will include a 120 Hz screen.
Some PVT models ate equipped with 120hz, and some aren’t (as noted in the screenshots).
This backs up my tweet from a couple days ago, reporting that they haven’t given up on testing 120hz on iPhone 12 Pro yet… https://t.co/UQnBM985Zd
— Jon Prosser (@jon_prosser) August 25, 2020
